


Into the Fire

by ByFireandBlood



Category: Tintenwelt-Trilogie | Inkheart Trilogy - Cornelia Funke
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Antagonistic main character, Assassin - Freeform, Assassin AU, Bittersweet Ending, Blood and Gore, Canonical Character Death, Charisma, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Hyenas, Inkblood, Inkheart - Freeform, Inkworld, My First Fanfic, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Orphans, Self-Sacrifice, Sex, Smut, Strong Female Characters, bad bitch, badass pets, inkdeath, pet hyenas, questionable morals, redemption arc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-01-02 09:30:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21159449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ByFireandBlood/pseuds/ByFireandBlood
Summary: Zira was just a typical runaway, until she met Firefox.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic... Go easy on me.

** _Three Years Earlier_ **

"

Firefox rode through the streets of Ombra, surveying his surroundings with distaste. Remembering why he was there did nothing to lighten his mood. _To see what the Adderhead's spies had to report. _The red-head huffed scornfully.

He heard voices yelling, and turned his horse towards the sound of the scuffle. Two youths were grappling roughly with each other. The bigger was a young male, his eyes had a mean glint in them. The smaller of the two was an even younger female, she wore tattered clothes, her body covered in scrapes and bruises typical of those of a runaway or an orphan. She clamped her teeth down on her opponent's ear. The boy screamed, trying to wrench away from her. He slammed the girl down onto the cobbles. Firefox started forward, but before his horse took two strides, the girl's fingers closed around a loose rock.

She hit the boy hard in the side of the head, the impact knocked him off of her. He groaned as the girl scrambled to her feet, breathing hard. They both saw Firefox at the same moment. The boy staggered to his feet, clearly still dazed, and stumbled off down the ally.

The girl remained where she was, staring at him with bold green eyes. She was a couple years younger than Firefox, perhaps sixteen. Old enough that she was a loner, she did not hang out with the little gangs of younger runaways.

She was scrawny, and Firefox could easily count the ribs that were not covered by her cut-off top. Her brown hair was tangled, her face streaked with dirt and grime, but her eyes still held fire.

She was a _fighter_, anyone could see that by looking at her.

Firefox dismounted his horse, and approached her. She did not back away, she met his gaze evenly.

"What are you called?" He asked her.

"What's it to you?" She replied. Firefox chuckled.

"You're sassy. I like that."

The girl tilted her head. "Zira." She said finally. "My name is Zira."

"Zira." Firefox repeated. "How would you like to get of the streets?"

She gave him a suspicious look. "What's the catch?"

"Catch?" Firefox said innocently.

"There's always a price. So, what is the price?"

"I want to train you. You'll make a lovely assassin." He said, stepping closer, noting several scars. Some were still rather recent, within the past couple of weeks. Others were long healed.

"Assassin?" He saw a curiosity in those lovely green eyes.

"Yes."

She hesitated, and Firefox could see the mistrust in her eyes.

Zira considered the red-head's offer. It was believable, coming from Firefox. He was the kind of man who would want an assassin.

_I'd never have to sleep under that fucking broken shelf again._ She knew that she was taking a risk, but at this point, desperation was winning her over. She hadn't eaten for several days, and it was getting colder.

She was exhausted, never able to really relax, always half alert.

She nodded slowly. "I accept."

"Wonderful." Firefox flashed her a smile. She stepped closer to him, and he tilted his head.

"We'll get you cleaned up, some proper clothes, and of course, some food." Zira's mouth watered at just the word. "Then I'll start to train you."

Zira nodded, and followed the red-head back to his horse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is very welcome!

Meggie stood with Fenoglio, watching as the Adderhead’s soldiers rode around the bend. At the head of the column, two men rode side by side.

One was a red-head, dressed in the same armor as the men following him, but with a splendid cloak made of fox tails. The other man was dressed in a green and silver robe fine enough for any prince, but his nose was what drew Meggie’s attention, it was made entirely of silver.

“Look at that couple, what a team.” Fenoglio whispered. “The Piper and Firefox.”

Behind the two men, rode a woman so beautiful that Meggie wondered if she was the Queen. 

She wore a breastplate of black leather beneath her cloak, and breeches instead of skirts, but an air of regality surrounded her. Her horse was as beautiful as his master, with a snowy white coat, and a coal black mane and tail. Meggie gasped as she saw the three hyenas trotting alongside the horse.

“That’s Zira.” Fenoglio whispered. “Firefox’s paramor.” He eyed the woman as she rode by. “They say that she’s as wild as the hyenas she keeps as pets.” He looked wistful. “Sadly, she’s not one of my characters.”

“Don’t you have enough villain characters?” Meggie asked.

“Ah, Meggie, she would have made quite the fallen heroine. A sympathetic, tragic villain.”

“Is she a soldier?” Meggie asked.

“No. My guess is that she’s an assassin.” Fenoglio replied. 

_ An assassin? But she looks so young. _

“How old is she?” Meggie asked, as the column halted.

“Nineteen, I believe.” Fenoglio replied. “Minerva told me about her. She was an orphan, living on the streets, Firefox took her and trained her when she was sixteen. She’s been by his side ever since.” Fenoglio paused. “And a rare thing for Firefox, I would think he’d have grown tired of her by now.” 

Meggie shot a glance at the red-head, who was looking at Zira as if she were a goddess.  _ I doubt he’ll ever tire of her.  _ Meggie thought to herself. Wasn’t this kind of affection usually between the heroes of the story, and not the villains?

A hush fell over the crowd as the Adderhead rode by. He looked exactly as her mother had described him. Meggie suddenly felt very cold.

Zira rode silently beside Firefox. She could see the lights of the inn ahead, and smirked to herself. 

She could anticipate the way that her night was going to go, and she was looking forward to it.

She was so different from the sixteen year old Firefox had trained as an assassin. She was confident and bold. 

She was quite amused by the implications that Firefox had seduced her. If anything, it was the other way around. She’d been eighteen, and every bit as confident as she was now. Bored and curious, she had approached Firefox, and convinced him to ride into the forest with her.

By a crystal clear stream, in a clearing drenched in sunlight, she had willingly, and eagerly, surrendered her maidenhead.

She smiled at the memory.

When they reached the inn, Zira seemed impatient. Firefox shot her a glance.

_ Is something wrong?  _ He wondered. He’d ask her once they were alone.

She followed him silently into the room, and closed the door behind her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips onto his. Her kiss was raw and fierce, just like her.

When she pulled away, her eyes were burning.

“Unlace me.” She said in a silky smooth voice, turning around so he could untie her armor. Now her impatience made sense.

Firefox gently unlaced her leather armor, and brushed his fingers against the smooth skin of her bare back.

Zira shuddered with delight at the caress. She stripped off her breeches, and stepped closer to him. 

She deftly undid the straps on his armor, and helped him remove it.

She pressed against him, and Firefox felt her heart beating against his own.

Firefox gladly let her have control.

When dawn came, Zira stretched her tight muscles with a soft groan. 

“Not too sore, are you Zira?” Firefox teased.

“Not enough to be sorry.” She replied with a sly smile. Her lover gave a throaty laugh.

She dressed quickly, smiling softly as Firefox laced up her armor. When he finished, she returned the favor.

Zira headed to the stables, where her hyenas greeted her with small yips. Blade, the youngest of the group, raced to her side and followed close at her heels, Arrow joined him, and Zira scratched their ears and cooed at them. The matriarch of the three, Morningstar, lifted her head with a yawn.

“Ah, Zira.” Piper’s nasal voice called. 

Zira turned to look at him. “Hello Piper.” She said with a relaxed smile. 

“I trust you had a legendary night.” He chuckled.

“Ah, did you hear us?”

“When I was walking past your door, but otherwise no.” Her friend grinned, silver nose glinting in the pale light.

“It’s more the fact that you’re walking… more stiffly than usual.” He mused, giving her an affectionate nudge before heading over to his horse’s stall.

Zira grinned after him, and turned towards her own horse. 

Ghost snorted softly, and Zira smiled, rubbing his soft muzzle with her bare fingers.

Firefox watched as Zira pulled herself onto Ghost’s back. The young stallion was gentle with his mistress, but a force to be reckoned with to everybody else.

But of course, this was to be expected of a warhorse. Destriers are trained to bite and kick, trained to be dangerous and ill-tempered. 

And in a case like Ghost’s, he only allowed one person on his back. The girl who had helped to train him. Zira.

Firefox smiled as Blade rushed over to him. The hyena whined until Firefox bent down and scratched his ears. 

“You smell like me.” Zira laughed as the hyena sniffed intently at Firefox’s gloves.

“Mmmhmm.” Firefox mused, straightening up as his horse was brought to him. He mounted the stallion, and urged him forward, smiling to himself as Zira rode up beside him.


End file.
